Air strikes force Kiram followers in Sabah to endure 2 days without eating 

Surviving air strikes and bombing runs from Malaysian security forces, the brother of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III remains safe, but had gone without food for at least two days, the sultan's camp said.

 

Sulu sultanate spokesman Abraham Idjirani said late Friday Raja Muda Azzimudie, the leader of armed Filipinos now being hunted in Sabah, had been living on water during that time.

 

"According to him, two days they have not eaten yet. They are constantly escaping from being hit by bombardment of the Malaysians," Idjirani said, according to a report on dzBB radio early Saturday.

 

He said Azzimudie and his men had been moving from place to place in Lahad Datu and had been separated at times.

 

"Pero noong Friday nabuo uli (But on Friday they were reunited)," he said.

 

Idjirani also denied at least 52 of the sultan's followers had been killed by Malaysian fire, saying their count showed 10 fatalities, 10 arrested, and four wounded.

 

Malaysia continues to go after Kiram's followers, after a series of deadly clashes since March 1.

 

While the sultan offered a unilateral ceasefire, Malaysia has rejected it and demanded that Kiram's followers in Sabah lay down their arms without condition.

 

Shelling continues

 

On Friday night, Malaysia's New Straits Times reported "heavy shelling" at the red zones of Kg Tanduo and Tanjung Batu in Felda Sahabat, Lahad Datu.

 

At 8:26 p.m. Friday, it added the National Press Club Malaysia advised journalists covering the security forces' offensive in Sabah "to exercise utmost caution."

 

Earlier Friday, Malaysian forces used helicopters to ferry security forces to locations to search for Kiram's followers.  — ELR, GMA News